Recommended Gas
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
From: Valinda California
Recommended Gas
With the high cost of gasoline I was curious if anyone could tell me what grade is recommended in my 1994 Vette. The fuel door says premium, and I have been running that. Will regular un leaded work just as good?
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,075
Likes: 109
From: Longmont Co
fuel
I believe 93 octane is recommended. I can actually use 87 or even 85 without problems, but I am at significantly higher elevation than you are. Your car should automatically adjust the timing to prevent knocking if you use regular, but you could notice some loss of power due to the milder timing correction.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 156
Likes: 0
From: Powhatan Virginia
High Test
The engine has knock sensors which will retard the timing with lower octane fuel--retarded timing equates to less power---so that your driving habits being the same--you would burn more fuel to do the same amount of "work"--that said what you save in price per gallon you would likely spend in the amount of fuel you used--and as others stated the long term affects on the engine may not be good--you can't go wrong using what the factory recommends !
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,768
Likes: 33
From: Van Steel Corvettes
St. Jude Donor '12-'13
The engine has knock sensors which will retard the timing with lower octane fuel--retarded timing equates to less power---so that your driving habits being the same--you would burn more fuel to do the same amount of "work"--that said what you save in price per gallon you would likely spend in the amount of fuel you used--and as others stated the long term affects on the engine may not be good--you can't go wrong using what the factory recommends !
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 9,065
Likes: 215
From: Epping NH
Drive it less if you want to save of fuel that's what I'm doing. I used to drive mine to work during summer, but with the stop and go traffic that kills fuel mileage, I only use the car on weekends now which is fine with me.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 696
Likes: 18
From: Jenkintown PA
SAVE THE WAVE!
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 123
Likes: 0
From: Negaunee MI
Same here i use reguler 87 with the lucas upper cyclender lubricant and i noticed a increse in my miles per tank i get.
BTW i noticed it on my way back from the corvette assembily plant and museum, coincidence maby you be the judge of that......
BTW i noticed it on my way back from the corvette assembily plant and museum, coincidence maby you be the judge of that......
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 24,460
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From: sw Ohio
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 6,413
Likes: 9
From: The Old Dominion
I really don't see how the cost of a base gallon of gas relates to the octane people use. It still costs $.20-30 more per gallon for premium over regular, just like it did when gas was $1.50 a gallon.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 584
Likes: 1
From: Near Lockport NY Black 1986 Coupe
Well apparently no one has really answered the question, so I will step in and voice my opinion.
Since your year LT1 is rated at 10.5:1 compression, I would recommend either 89 or 91 octane to run at full performance. You should be able to slide on 89 since the compression isn't sky-high, and you don't drive at WOT all the time.
If you want a middle-ground, or can't find 91, mix 89 and 93 - but you should be fine with 89.
Since your year LT1 is rated at 10.5:1 compression, I would recommend either 89 or 91 octane to run at full performance. You should be able to slide on 89 since the compression isn't sky-high, and you don't drive at WOT all the time.
If you want a middle-ground, or can't find 91, mix 89 and 93 - but you should be fine with 89.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 6,413
Likes: 9
From: The Old Dominion
What fuel is recommended, and what works, has nothing to do with the price of that fuel.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 255
Likes: 0
I was very close to a purchase of a C5 a couple of weeks ago from the local Chevy dealer. It had a strange knock in it and only had 27000 miles. The sales staff and the mechanics couldn't hear it. A friend of mine and I could hear it, and once you did...it sounded a lot like a rod knock, just not quite as loud. Any of us would run from a purchase of a car with a knock.
The dealer called last week to tell me they finally found the problem. One of the salesmen had put regular gas in it.
I'm sure the sale will go through...but they lost a $26,000 sale from me from using LOW OCTANE GAS.
The dealer called last week to tell me they finally found the problem. One of the salesmen had put regular gas in it.
I'm sure the sale will go through...but they lost a $26,000 sale from me from using LOW OCTANE GAS.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 584
Likes: 1
From: Near Lockport NY Black 1986 Coupe
Exactly, and with his motor and compression the highest he HAS to run is 91. Everyone either stated regular or premium, and nothing was said about the motor. Just because some people baby their low compression motors, doesn't mean everyone has to. You'll eventually lose gas mileage if you run too high of octane for extended periods of time.
Drifting
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,543
Likes: 1
From: Levittown NY
I don't mean to put you on the spot here but that is a big mistake that a lot of people make. One octane is not better than the other. An octane rating is the resistance of a fuel to ignite. Running a higher octane than what is need actually hurts performance and gas mileage. You should run the lowest octane you can without a knock. For my LT1 it's 91.